The Dragon's Match

XXXV

Content warning: this chapter touches briefly, without going into too much detail, on some of Enorae's past, which contains mention of assault. 

XXXV

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

The holding was vast.

Forming part of the land that was Ravensfield's, it constituted a plethora of natural features in abundance- gently rolling hills gradually flattened into farmable pastures bordered by pockets of woodland. It was more than suitable and would fulfil the variety of needs his tenants harboured.

Aëghan would be a fool not to accept, even if it was within his right regardless considering the agreement he had made with Millie. Everything this holding would provide far surpassed the small acreage he had currently procured.

He leaned against the worn fencing that surrounded one of the untilled fields, long grass swaying idly in the breeze while he mentally noted all the repairs that would be needed. Voices drifted around him, that of Enorae and Dellanae, who he had insisted accompany him on the initial inspection in order to garner their opinions. He had conveyed them to Ravensfield just that morning at Lillian's and her sister's insistence, seemingly appeased that the more fae beings in residence the better. It helped all the more that both siblings were familiar with Enorae and rather fond of the Dravolese female. 

Lillian's factotum was also present- a young satyr with sincere eyes and a leather folder clasped to his chest- yet his verbosity was limited to numbers and statistics, facts about the area he had rote memorised that he thought would be of use to Aëghan. In summarisation, Lillian had ensured that he was aware that very little magical intervention would be needed to ensure the land was profitable and the tenants that resided on it well taken care of.

Enorae came to lean beside him, her arms dangling on the top part of the fence as it began to give with a creak of complaint.

"It is a considerable improvement," she remarked casually.

Della clambered through the fence with a grace that was similar to a new-born foal, her bare feet sinking into the damp earth on the other side with a wet squelch.

"There is work to be done," Aëghan countered. "We'd be starting over, losing everything that we had built successfully before."

The female beside him snorted disparagingly. "That was always the plan. You knew that it was the moment you agreed to Lady Adams's terms."

Della bent at the waist and stuck a forefinger in the gloopy mud surrounding her ankles. When she straightened, she sucked the soil from her appendage, her face puckered in thought before her finger left her mouth with a pop and a beaming grin. "Fertile! Ripe with manure- perfect for crops! There will be an excellent harvest," she announced giddily.

"This property is larger," Aëghan explained. "We'd need infrastructure, new roads to be built and inlaid to joining communities and Ravensfield itself. Drainage and sewage lines, irrigation and-"

The satyr cleared his throat politely. "As the land falls under Ravensfield jursidiction," he pointed out, "communal improvements and maintenance would be levied to Lord and Lady Adams. Your primary concern would be maintenance of the amenities installed- to ensure lucrative returns, if possible."

Aëghan may have negotiated the property from a Ravensfield, but he was not about to incur further handouts. "I have the means to provide improvements and maintenance," he said curtly. "My concern is for the comfort of our tenants while these measures are established."